הִנֵּ֨ה יַד־יְהוָ֜ה הֹויָ֗ה בְּמִקְנְךָ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה בַּסּוּסִ֤ים בַּֽחֲמֹרִים֙ בַּגְּמַלִּ֔ים בַּבָּקָ֖ר וּבַצֹּ֑אן דֶּ֖בֶר כָּבֵ֥ד מְאֹֽד׃
(Exodus 9:3)
Behold, the hand of YHWH is upon your livestock that are in the field, upon the horses, the donkeys, the camels, the cattle, and the sheep, a very severe plague.
This verse belongs to the plague narrative against Pharaoh, specifically the fifth plague striking the livestock of Mitsrayim. From a grammatical standpoint, Exodus 9:3 offers a valuable lesson on nominal clauses, particle emphasis, and enumeration through prepositional phrases. The construction is terse yet powerful: divine action is conveyed not through verbs of striking or killing but through the nominal declaration יַד־יְהוָה הֹויָה (“the hand of YHWH is”). Syntax itself becomes the medium of judgment.
The Formula הִנֵּה: Dramatic Demonstration
The verse begins with הִנֵּה, the deictic particle “behold.” It draws immediate attention, demanding that the hearer visualize what follows. In prophetic and narrative contexts, הִנֵּה signals dramatic revelation. Here it announces a coming act of God with solemn immediacy: the plague is not future only—it is present and certain.
Nominal Clause: יַד־יְהוָה הֹויָה
The central clause is striking: יַד־יְהוָה הֹויָה — “the hand of YHWH is.”
- יַד־יְהוָה: idiomatically denotes divine power or action, not merely a physical hand.
- הֹויָה: Qal participle of הָיָה, “being,” functioning here as a predicate of ongoing presence: “is/exists upon.”
The clause is nominal, without an explicit finite verb. This gives it a timeless, declarative weight. Rather than narrating “YHWH struck,” the syntax frames divine judgment as an existential reality—“the hand of YHWH is upon your livestock.”
Enumeration Through Prepositional Phrases
The livestock are listed in a sequence, each introduced by בְּ (“upon”):
- בַּסּוּסִים — “upon the horses.”
- בַּחֲמֹרִים — “upon the donkeys.”
- בַּגְּמַלִּים — “upon the camels.”
- בַּבָּקָר — “upon the cattle.”
- וּבַצֹּאן — “and upon the sheep.”
The repetition of בְּ before each noun is not redundant. In Hebrew style, repeated prepositions intensify distributive force, ensuring that each group is struck individually and comprehensively. The cumulative effect underscores total devastation across all categories of livestock.
The Direct Object of Judgment: בְּמִקְנְךָ אֲשֶׁר בַּשָּׂדֶה
Before the enumeration, the scope is defined broadly: בְּמִקְנְךָ אֲשֶׁר בַּשָּׂדֶה — “upon your livestock that are in the field.”
- מִקְנְךָ: “your livestock,” noun with 2ms suffix.
- אֲשֶׁר בַּשָּׂדֶה: relative clause, “that are in the field.” This restricts the scope to those animals exposed, not sheltered indoors.
The relative clause tightens the threat: only the animals in the open field are immediately subject to the plague. Syntax thus expresses both breadth and limitation in a single sweep.
The Noun דֶּבֶר: Plague as Pestilence
The closing phrase names the affliction: דֶּבֶר כָּבֵד מְאֹד — “a very severe plague.”
- דֶּבֶר: “pestilence, plague,” often associated with epidemic disease striking animals or people.
- כָּבֵד: adjective, “heavy, severe.”
- מְאֹד: adverbial intensifier, “exceedingly.”
Grammatically, the apposition builds intensity. The phrase is not simply descriptive but evaluative, assigning weight and gravity. The syntax mirrors the overwhelming scale of the judgment.
Parsing Table of Key Forms
| Form | Parsing | Literal Sense | Grammatical Insight |
|---|---|---|---|
| הִנֵּ֨ה | Particle of attention | “Behold” | Signals dramatic revelation |
| יַד־יְהוָה | Noun + proper name | “Hand of YHWH” | Idiomatic for divine power |
| הֹויָה | Qal participle of הָיָה | “is/being” | Marks ongoing presence |
| בַּסּוּסִים… וּבַצֹּאן | Preposition + definite nouns | “upon the horses… and upon the sheep” | Repetition of בְּ marks distributive force |
| דֶּבֶר כָּבֵד מְאֹד | Noun + adjective + adverb | “a very severe plague” | Evaluative phrase intensifies the judgment |
Nominal Syntax and Theological Weight
By framing the judgment in a nominal clause—“the hand of YHWH is”—the text avoids simple narrative progression. Instead, it presents divine action as a standing reality. This syntax conveys theological permanence: God’s hand rests on Mitsrayim’s livestock as an unavoidable state, not just a momentary blow. Grammar here amplifies theology.
Masoretic Rhythm
The accents divide the verse into two parts: the declaration (הִנֵּ֨ה יַד־יְהוָה הֹויָה) and the scope of its effect (בְּמִקְנְךָ… דֶּבֶר כָּבֵד מְאֹד). This rhythmic division mirrors the rhetoric of proclamation followed by explanation. The cadence would have heightened the verse’s dramatic impact when read aloud in synagogue or liturgical settings.
The Echo of Judgment
Exodus 9:3 demonstrates how Hebrew grammar can embody divine judgment. A particle of immediacy (הִנֵּה), a nominal clause (יַד־יְהוָה הֹויָה), repeated prepositions marking totality, and a climactic evaluative phrase (דֶּבֶר כָּבֵד מְאֹד) work together to depict a devastating plague. For the student of Biblical Hebrew, the lesson is clear: every preposition, particle, and nominal clause contributes to the text’s theological resonance. Syntax itself becomes a herald of divine power.